


Snow White

by MightySnowflake



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Alternative Universe - Kingdom, Angst, Fanart, Happy Ending, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-10
Updated: 2019-12-10
Packaged: 2021-02-18 07:14:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,810
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21740458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MightySnowflake/pseuds/MightySnowflake
Summary: The tale of Snow White in which the hunter falls in love with the prince.
Relationships: Prussia/Russia (Hetalia)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 19





	Snow White

She was the mightiest lady in the whole kingdom, if not in the whole world. Her tactful rule brought prosper over the country and she was hailed as a god-sent angel to save the pitiful souls living on earth. Not only was praised her skills polished in power but also her beauty which had admirers everywhere she went. The queen knew the image she had and she was keen to keep it like that.

On the day of her son’s 18th birthday, many royal families and other high-status people carrying blue blood were attending the wealthy party thrown for the young prince stepping into adulthood. The guests bore gifts of the richest materials and most exotic lands both to the young man as well as to the queen. There was none to forget to mention the queen’s achievements or her astonishing looks. The queen smiled mildly to her admirers and pat her son encouragingly on the shoulder who carefully practised the graceful speech proper for a prince. 

However, the light smile adorning the powerful woman’s face faded as one of the guards, relieved from his duty for the day, another guard taking his place, turned to the prince and addressed him with a bow. “Your Highness. I know it’s not my place to approach you so directly but I truly wish the happiest days to come to the most beautiful person I’ve ever laid my eyes on who on this day has reached his adulthood.” 

The prince looked seemingly flattered, a broad smile and distinct blush creeping onto his face. The guard left when the young royal thanked him with a low murmur and stayed looking at the deep red carpet under his shoes. The queen on the other hand looked after the man and lifted her hand from the shoulder she had been holding till now. It wasn’t the gesture of wishing the best to the prince that had angered the queen. On the contrary, she was used to and accepting praises coming from different classes. 

The only problem was the fact that this lowly guard had called her son the “most beautiful person” which meant that he was raised above the queen. Raised above the woman whose stunning looks were said to have no match in the whole world. As stated before, the royal woman wanted to hold onto the pretty picture she had painted of herself and this statement was a genuine threat to this image. There was no way she could leave such danger lurking around, waiting to rupture the queen’s might she had fought for so desperately. The fact that the threat was in the form of her own son was indeed unfortunate but as all skillful rulers knew, one should get rid of the danger before it exposes itself. So the queen memorised the guards face and clenched the fist that just a moment ago had supported the young prince.

* * *

On the same night when all the guests had left and the castle had fallen into deep slumber from the exhausting party, the guard was summoned to the queens chambers. He went, not knowing what to expect. Never before had he been required by the queen personally, not to mention in the middle of the night. He truly hoped it wasn’t because of the way he directly addressed the prince. Though, he hoped he knew the queen well enough by now, having worked in the castle for years, and going by the gained knowledge of the royal woman, she wasn’t someone to deny well meant words from anyone, be they just a guard. With that hope in his chest, the guard knocked on the queen’s door and entered when he was called in.

The woman smiled sweetly at him, like she usually did, putting down the comb she had been working through her golden locks. Ice-clear blue eyes inspected the guard as she rose. “You’re the guard that wished my son all the best today, aren’t you?” 

The guard tensed at the mention of the act he had suspected to be the cause for him to be called here but nodded regardless. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

The woman hummed and walked with a lightness in her step towards the man standing in front of her door. “And what might be your name, guard?” The question was followed by raised expectant eyebrows so the man answered without hesitation. “My name is Ivan, Ma’am.”

“Ivan...” repeated the queen, pursing her lips, and walked away from her guest again. “You are quite gutsy, aren’t you?” Before the man could guess what the queen had meant exactly, she leaned on the window frame and elaborated. “Addressing the royal family with no regard of your own status. During an official party where important high-status guests attended nonetheless.” One lean eyebrow was raised to judge the guard. 

Ivan tried to appear calm, which was hard with the queen’s attentive look on him. He lowered his head and stared pointedly at the ground, trying to find words that could make his situation any better. “Your Majesty. Truly, I only intended to wish the prince happiness as he is as kind towards the people working under him as You yourself. It wasn’t my attention to bring a possible bad example of the guards’ behavior in this castle. I repent my actions. I only hope I could redeem myself somehow.” Ivan mentally patted himself on the shoulder as he had managed to say all that without stuttering. He wished that was enough.

“I hope so too,” was the queen’s answer and Ivan felt he could breathe a bit easier. There was a stretching silence though. Finally, it was cut with words that made Ivan raise his head out of shock. “I heard you come from a family of hunters, Ivan.” Then the woman, who apparently had looked out of the window during the earlier pause, turned her head towards the guard. 

Ivan almost gasped as the queen used his name so familiarly, though it didn’t cloud the incredulousness of the fact that the royal woman had enquired about his family. With a startled expression, the guard answered truthfully. “Yes, Ma’am. My family lives further away from here, near the vast forests. There I honed my skills that helped me become the guard I am today.”

The queen hummed again but her gaze was firm on the man. Something in her eyes changed, a resolute quality creeping into them. Ivan dared to look directly at the queen still, as it seemed that the woman wanted the contact to last. “You want to redeem yourself, I understand, Ivan?”

“Yes, Ma’am,” answered the guard honestly, letting confidence, that in actuality he didn’t feel at the slightest, drip into his voice as he spoke.

“Good. Then I have a task for you.” Ivan perked up at that but tried to look humble still. “Tomorrow, you will take the prince to the forest and tell him that it was my suggestion for him to breath some soothing air after such a busy day as his birthday has been with the endless guests.” Ivan was baffled and couldn’t help but raise his question “Is that it, Ma’am?” 

The queen smiled, though the resolute look was still there, unwavering. “Yes.” As Ivan’s face lit up, she continued. “There’s only one little detail missing.” The guard listened attentively. “When you have lead the prince to the forest, I want you to come back with his heart only.”

Ivan stared at the queen. He must have heard wrong. “This was only a figure of speech, _right_ ? You wouldn’t want me to _actually_ kill Your _son_ , would You, _Ma’am_?” Ivan was desperately smiling with furrowed brows. The queen wasn’t smiling though. Her eyes suddenly cold as she raised her chin as if criticising Ivan for doubting her words. A cold sweat broke out on the guards forehead and he felt his heart beating faster and faster. “Your Majesty. I can’t do that! I can’t do that to someone as innocent as your son!”

The queen didn’t look pleased by those words. “You don’t want to redeem yourself then?” came the disappointed comment. ”I do!” shouted Ivan desperately. “But I won’t kill the prince, _Your son_ , for that!” Ivan was heaving with the force he put into his words but the queen just blinked nonchalantly. “That’s a shame,” she stated and pushed herself away from the window, walking leisurely to a low wooden ark next to her bed. “Seems like I have to set an example how one does such a simple act as erasing an unneeded existence. And I was looking forward to getting to know your family... Though, maybe I will...” With that she opened a drawer and drew out a beautifully decorated dagger.

Ivan’s eyes shot wide open. “No!” he shouted, hands shaking as fear took over him. “Please! Not my family!” Without skipping a beat the queen asked “Then you will do as I say?”

Ivan fought the terror that was taking over him at the realisation that he had no choice. It was either letting his family be killed or him killing the prince. Hunching his shoulders, the guard muttered silently “...Yes.” “That’s ‘Yes, Ma’am’.” Corrected the queen as he handed the man the dagger. Slowly taking the blade, Ivan repeated with empty eyes “...Yes, Ma’am.”

* * *

The prince was overly enthusiastic about the trip that the guard had promised him on behalf of his mother. He grinned and almost pranced next to Ivan, admiring the trees and warm weather that coaxed butterflies into being active. The younger man came to a stop at one point to close his eyes and just breathe in the fresh air.

When opening his eyes again, the prince looked up at the treetops that swayed in the gentle wind. “This was such a good idea to some out today! Yesterday’s party was sooo tiresome and I’ve had enough of talking to people.” Then he turned to his guard with a big smile. “You are a welcomed companion though!”

Ivan looked at the happy man, only a few years younger than him, and couldn’t enjoy the elevating words as he normally would have. All he felt was the cold dagger pressing to his side where it was hidden under his cloak, neither the warm sun nor warm expression before him helping him to feel better. After all, he was off to _kill_ the same innocent cheery smile. 

Every step the guard took felt heavy in contrast to the prince’s carefree gait. The prince had probably noticed that and tried to cheer his companion up. That being him talking about the party or pointing out some more intriguing plants at the side of the road they strolled along. All that to make his guard forget about his troubles for at least for this trip.

As the prince started walking again, he decided to address the other man more directly. “Hey, have you been to this forest before? You seem to know the way well enough to follow it with a downcast face.” That made the guard raise his head and level the prince with a sad look. “Yes, Your Highness. A bit further from here is the forest where I grew up so sometimes I happened to reach these parts of the forest as well.” With that the older man looked forward where his old home probably was located.

The prince followed the gaze and then turned to look at his guard again. “If it’s just the two of us, you can just call me Gilbert! I don’t need the honorifics to render our talk to something formal.” Ivan’s eyes stayed on the horizon as he deadpanned “Yes, Sir.”

“Hey!” called Gilbert out. “I just said enough with the honorifics! I kind of like you so I want to talk freely with you. Speaking of which,” curious eyes inspected the older man’s form, “what’s your name? It’s only fair that I get to address you by your name also, not just ‘guard’.”

At that the older man hesitated. He didn’t want to bond with the prince any more than he already had in the castle, though one-sidedly, cherishing the ever-lasting smile on the royal man’s face, lighting up everyone’s mood around him. However, this could as well be the younger man’s last request before death so the older man was ready to throw away his own peace of mind in favour of giving the prince the requested information, thus making the soon to be elimination even harder.

“I am Ivan.” “Ivan...” murmured the younger man with pursed lips and it hurt the guard how much the act resembled the queen. He couldn’t understand how a mother would wish for her son’s death. And that son had never hurt anyone. Ivan would know, having kept an eye on the prince for years. There had been some occasional pranks played on the servants in the castle or in the gardens but never had the prince done it out of malice, if only purely for the sake of making himself and others around him laugh. Which didn’t work every time but he tried his best, one could see.

The older man was brought out of his thoughts as Gilbert spoke to him with remarkably less confidence than before. “Hei, Ivan?” “Hmm?” indicated the older man that the prince had his attention. “Yesterday you came up to me to wish me the happiest days to come. I heard a lot of pretty words that evening but I thought that your words were the most sincere. So... I thank you for that.” After glancing at his guard, Gilbert continued more sheepishly. “And… you said that I was the most beautiful person you’ve ever laid eyes on… Did you really mean it?” 

When Ivan turned to regard the prince, the latter rushed to explained “I-I mean, it is usually my mother who is titled as such! So I was surprised you would say that about _me_...” Ivan saw how the prince’s face gained some colour, the pink cheeks complementing the younger man’s reddish eyes. Just looking at the prince like that, the latter’s eyes scanning thoroughly the stones on the road, Ivan absentmindedly spoke out “Yes, I meant that. You are beautiful.” Then he winced as the thought of this beauty being lost to the world soon enough occurred to him. 

“Th-thank you...” murmured the prince, sneaking another peek at his guard and looking quickly back at the road again when their eyes met. For some time they walked in silence. The sun beaming still but the forest having become more dense. It was Gilbert again to speak up first.

“Tell me about your family. You said you used to live around here.” If possible, then Ivan wouldn’t have talked about his family right now but it also reminded him why he had agreed to do this horrendous act. The guard sighed and started talking, much to the prince’s satisfaction.

“I used to live in a cottage near a river before coming to work in the castle. My great grandfather was the one to build it. It wasn’t as spacious as the rooms you are used to but it was sufficient. Especially during winter when it was good to have all people in one room to keep everyone warm. My father met my mother at the market outside of the forest. There’s a village further to the left. Since my father was a hunter like his father and grandfather before him, he sold meat and fur, that he had acquired, in the market. One day my mother was admiring the softness of a pine marten and my father, being smitten by the woman, gifted it to her. Soon they married and my older sister was born. She’s a kind-hearted person and makes the best meat stew. My younger sister is quiet but attentive and has mastered the skills of hunting. It’s partly because of her skills that I felt the peace of mind to leave the house for my sister’s to take care of, as they were splendid at that, and look for something that wouldn’t require as much violence as hunting does.”

Gilbert interrupted the tale as he didn’t seem to put some things together, his brows furrowed as he looked up in thought. “Doesn’t being a guard require you to be ready for violence? I mean that’s rather what you are paid for: to intervene when my or someone else’s life is in danger within the castle or outside of it, like right now, for example.” 

“Well,” stretched the guard calmly, “the difference lies in the frequency. A hunter has to kill for a living once or twice in a month, depending on the animal caught and the size of his family. In the castle there isn’t that much action. You can think yourself how many incidences there have actually been where the guards had to use violence against someone. I myself remember only a couple of situations and none of them involved death. Some injuries, yes, but no death. Though the payment was a major motivator to accept this job as well.”

Gilbert pondered about the past and found that he had to agree with this logic. “True. Though, I’m still thankful for you and other guards for looking after me. I feel myself safe in your hands.” The statement was followed by a genuine smile and Ivan couldn’t hold himself back anymore.

“You shouldn’t.” Though the mutter was quiet, the prince heard it anyway and stopped, turning abruptly towards Ivan. ”What? Why?” The confusion was clear on Gilbert’s face and Ivan hated how trusted he was at the moment. He couldn't go any further than this with the prince _looking up_ to him, _thanking_ him, kind of _befriending_ him, _trusting him_. The guard stopped as well and looked the prince straight in the eyes. 

“Ivan, what’s wrong? You’ve been like this the whole day. I thought this trip could cheer you up as well but maybe I’m overconfident with my skills of making people happy…” Gilbert looked at the forest floor with a sad expression before asking sincerely “Do you want to go back?”

The guard twitched hearing the question. “Gilbert,” he addressed, using the prince’s name this time, “I’m afraid that we can’t go back. At least not together.” The younger man looked even more confused but his voice had become much quieter “What do you mean?” Ivan breathed in before opening his mouth again. “Gilbert,” the young prince stared at Ivan with wide eyes, “I was told to take you to the forest and kill you there.”

The silence made the words more real with every following second. The two young men just stared at each other. One with resolute sadness, the other with utmost horror. Finally, the prince managed to speak again and asked with a small voice “...who?...” 

“The queen. Your mother,” deadpanned Ivan. There was no way getting over the truth and it was easier to just face reality. The younger man wasn’t so ready to accept this truth however. “...no...” he uttered with a weak voice. “Yes, Gilbert,” stated Ivan and took out the dagger that the queen had given him herself. Gilbert saw the familiar blade and all the blood from his face disappeared.

“No...” he whispered again with a broken voice and tears forming in his eyes. The prince looked up at the serious guard, slender body shaking with emotions. “You wouldn’t…?” The statement that would have been firmly said out loud before was now turned into a question, as Gilbert felt the earth beneath him shift and ready to swallow him whole.

Ivan didn’t dare to look at those pitiful eyes anymore. Betrayed, broken. He tried to think about his home, his family, all the reason for what he had to be here at the moment, threatening to kill the innocent prince that just a minute ago had tried to make him smile and worried about his well-being.

“Ivan, please...” The guard made the mistake of looking at the one who called out for him and his heart sank. With the tear-filled red puffy eyes the pale man looked even younger than he actually was. He looked so helpless. Like Ivan had been during his first hunt, witnessing the necessary kill and not knowing what to do or what to feel when the boar, that were so common around here, had been cut open. A boar...

“Run,” ordered the guard suddenly. Gilbert stared at him for a moment before treading carefully “...But… what about you? When my mother will know that you didn’t actually kill me-” “I’ll be alright,” interrupted Ivan, looking at the young man that even now _worried_ about _him_ and handed the prince his own knife he always had on himself. “I’ve got an idea.”

The prince looked skeptical but when the older man nodded with an earnest look on his face, the prince hesitated before stepping before his guard to give him a firm hug, muttering a broken “Thank you” and started running, looking back a few times until Ivan couldn’t be seen anymore behind the dense trees. The guard placed the dagger under his cloak again and took out the bow he had always with him. He had a heart to hunt.

* * *

Gilbert ran. The nice sunny forest had turned into one of his most anxious dreams as he didn’t know where he was or where he was going. Still, he had to keep going. He was wanted dead so the most he could do was escape and hope that at the end of the day he was still kicking. 

The surrounding trees grew higher and higher, the road was left where he had last seen Ivan looking after him with a grave expression, so now Gilbert just tretted along the moss carpet that hid twisted roots under itself, akin to malicious stretched out legs waiting for the prince to trip and possibly wring out one of his limbs. As the treetops prevented the sunlight from touching the forest floor with an alarming aggravation, the young man was to be especially careful on the damp ground if he didn’t want to spend his night out with no shelter to hide him from the dangers lurking after him.

The prince wasn’t all incompetent outside of the castle’s walls. If need be he could manage on his own: he had learned to use a sword, which plants were edible and which were not, had learned to swim and the basics of surviving. The crucial question would however be, how long he had to keep this all up. Being taught the theory didn’t mean Gilbert had the necessary durability to survive long if his circumstances, were he to stay like that for a week or longer. The estimated week would just be a generous time offered for the prince to feel the life in his eyes slowly die out. Gilbert knew the inescapable truth, that he was no match against mother nature if left alone, and that’s why he kept running in hopes to find _something_ , _someone_ that could help him in his state.

My some miracle, the prince found a fallen tree whose previously spread out roots were sticking out from the earth in the direction of the sky. It made a suitable cover from the cold wind during the night and the other spruce next to the fallen one was perfect for protecting the prince from a rainfall if the need be.

After catching his breath, the back leaning heavily against the root-born wall, Gilbert looked at the sun indicating the day coming soon to an end. The prince wasn’t ready for the night in the middle of nowhere where there were no guards to protect him from harm. However, he was exhausted. So regardless of the gripping thoughts, Gilbert elevated his spot under the strong spruce and next to the root-wall with some thorn-filled pine branches he found nearby on the forest floor and basically passed out on the hastily created surprisingly softish bed.

The night air was cold and Gilbert’s sleep frail. He woke in the early hours when the sun hadn’t risen yet but his surroundings were gaining more and more brighter colours to them. Initially, the prince thought that his dreams were cut off because of the chilly humid air but a movement at the corner of his eye made him reconsider. Slowly, the young man raised from his spot and looked around. Standing completely still for some time, he finally saw the real culprit guilty for waking him up. A wild boar.

The prince had learned about the wild animals living in his kingdom and a wild boar was possibly not good news. Especially since this one looked sick. The animal’s movements were ungracious, from time to time losing its support under the back leg and then the more precise problem: foaming at the mouth.

If Gilbert knew _something_ about rabies then it was that he should keep far away from this boar or else he’ll risk getting bit and suffering the same fate if not for a proper treatment. Which he wouldn’t get out here. So the young man kept his eyes on the wild animal and made silent steps farther away from the boar.

At first it seemed to work, unfocused eyes looking everywhere and nowhere at the same time, missing the retreat. Gilbert was a good ten meters away from the pile of pine branches he had slept upon when he was spotted. The confused tretting stopped for a moment and then, to the prince’s dread, the animal’s eyes were suddenly focused on him and the boar charged. The young man’s adrenalin took over him and just as quickly he was running as well, regardless of the muscle pain from yesterday kicking in.

Sneaking a quick glance behind him, before focusing entirely on getting away, Gilbert saw the thick, razor-sharp tusks and swallowed a whine that was trying to escape him. The fear kept the prince running faster than he thought he was capable of. If the situation were a little different, he would have laughed at the face his physical activity teacher would have made seeing him speed up like a young deer. Only it wasn’t any other situation and there was no place for humour here.

Regardless the sweat dripping from his face and blood taste in his mouth from the exertion, Gilbert could feel the air became even more humid and colder and somewhere could be heard the burble of an active waterbody. Soon a river could be seen through the woods and Gilbert made his way towards it. Hoping, that crossing the river would prove to be a more difficult matter for the wild boar than for him, Gilbert hopped on a large rocks in the river to cleverly reach the other side with dry feet and, more importantly, no water to slow down his speed. However, reaching the fifth rock, the prince lost his balance on the wet surface and fell into the water.

The young man screamed. Water splashed around him and his heart was hammering its way out of his ribcage. Quickly! He had to stand up and keep going! Or the boar will get to him and… Except it didn’t. The animal was foaming on the shore, irritation clear in the way it moved back and forth where the man had hopped onto the rocks. It even took a sniff at the water and tried to put a hoof into the river but retrieved it immediately and shook its head uncontrollably.

Suddenly, there was a loud crack followed by a wild cry and a lot of trashing, then another crack and the boar fell, hooves kicking before settling down and never moving again. Gilbert observed it all frozen in place with wide eyes, still sitting in the streaming river. A short figure stepped cautiously closer to the now resting animal, inspection the accuracy of the shots from the bow but when spotting Gilbert sitting shocked in the water, hurried to his aid.

A girl or maybe a young woman put her hand on the man’s shoulder to cautiously get the others attention in case the sitting man was in a mentally unstable state right now. When Gilbert raised his head to meet dark blue eyes, the woman pulled the prince’s hand to get him up. Gilbert cooperated, even though his legs were protesting, and together they reached the shore, where the man was lowered to the ground again.

“Hey! Are you alright?” asked the blonde, crouching down next to the prince. “I heard screaming… Was that you?” Gilbert didn’t remember. He was too busy trying to stay alive so any voices he could have made were lost to him. It was probable though, so he nodded, body shaking from the adrenaline coming down and also the cold did it’s job.

“You look terrible! We have to get you somewhere warm… Can you still walk?” Gilbert nodded again silently. “Good. Come with me.” Supporting the man, the young woman began to lead the way along the river bed.

They reached an old looking cabin which must have belonged to the young woman as this is where she headed. Another figure appeared on the door and upon seeing the two tretting slowly closer, the figure gasped and came outside to help the prince as well. Once inside, the young man was lowered on a chair in front of the already heated cookstove, after helping the shivering man out of most of his drenched clothes, save the undergarments, and wrapping him up in a thick blanket. Gilbert was handed a steaming cup of liquid and then everyone around him settled down as well.

As the prince fought with the shivering, sipping the liquid that turned out to be sweetened tea, the two women observed the man they had brought into their house. The wet hair was white as was the man’s whole body, if leaving out the eyes that seemed to be almost dark red. 

“Snow-white...” gasped the older short haired woman, who only now got a decent look at the man she had handed the much needed tea. The shorter woman looked pointedly at the one who had just spoken and muttered with a hush “Katya! It isn’t nice to comment on someone’s appearance the first thing you meet them...” “Oh!” gasped the older looking woman and rushed to apologise. Gilbert didn’t let her though, smiling tiredly and assuring “It’s all right. I hear that all the time. Which is no wonder considering how few people I have met with the same colouring.”

“Still,” stressed the younger looking woman with long hair. “One shouldn’t bring out things they aren’t sure about or else they might make the person feel uncomfortable. Do you even _like_ being called that or are you just _alright_ with that?” Gilbert looked at the stern looking younger woman and then at the guilty looking older woman before raising his eyebrows in thought. “I think I really have nothing against that...” he pondered. “No one’s ever meant it as an insult regarding the way I look so different… but rather as a special trait belonging only to me... So it’s kind of a nickname that I actually like.” The older woman sighed relieved at that and raised to check on the food simmering in a big red pot on the stove.

“What happened?” she inquired while raising the lid and stirring the food that smelled heavenly for the prince who hadn’t eaten anything since yesterday morning. Gilbert’s stomach grumbled. The older woman chuckled and told that the food will soon be ready. The younger woman took the answering on herself. “I reached the rocky part of the river when I heard a scream. I ran towards it and discovered a wild boar with _rabies_ running along the shore. Since there is nothing to do with such an animal and they are a genuine threat to anyone in the forest, I put an end to its suffering. And then I saw this young man sitting in the river, drenched and shocked. I couldn’t just leave him there.”

“How brave of you! My little sister is always like that, standing up for those in need.” The last part was directed at Gilbert who then proceeded to take a good look on the woman who had saved his life. It was the second day in a row that he had escaped from the fangs of death thanks to courageous people. That made him wonder what had happened to Ivan after he ran away... His thoughts were interrupted by the younger woman’s grumbling. “Katya! It was nothing! Anyone would have done that...” 

“Not everyone...” responded the older sister calmly and meaningfully, starting to deck out tableware. Before the younger woman could protest, Gilbert opened his mouth as well. “Your sister is right. Not everyone would have run towards danger like you did and bring me to their home. I am truly thankful for your actions.” The younger woman was blushing lightly with a pout but if anyone would have asked about it she would have blamed it on the cold morning air outside.

“If you wouldn’t mind then I would like to know the name of my saviour,” continued Gilbert with a nobleness to his words. The younger woman grumbled again at the “saviour” part but answered nonetheless “Natalya.” “Thank you, Natalya!” offered the prince his gratitude again with a big smile this time and the young woman had to look away less the praise would really get to her.

“And what is your name?” came from the other end of the room where the older woman named Katya had finished laying the table. Gilbert turned his tired but bright smile towards her “I’m Gilbert.” “Well, Gilbert,” started the older sister, “can you make it to the table now or will you eat where you are sitting at the moment?” The prince stretched out his legs to get a feel of their steadiness. Then he slowly raised, leaning on the chair’s backrest for some additional support. “I’ll manage,” he stated and made his way carefully to the set table where the promised food was waiting for him.

The breakfast passed in silence, if leaving out the compliments to the cook. The simple porridge gained Gilbert’s total focus which was broken only when Katya reached him some blackcurrant jam and a glass of milk to go with the breakfast. The sisters let their guest devour his food peacefully, doing the same in return. However, when the pot was empty and Katya had found Gilbert some clothes to wear, probably belonging to a big man, till his own were drying, the younger sister turned to the prince with a pointed interest. “What were you doing out there?”

The young man stayed silent for a while. How much should he say? If the news that he was still alive would reach his mother then whatever Ivan’s plan had been would fail and he didn’t want to know what would happen then to his brave guard. He had to say something though to these kind people so he chose to leave out the part of his royal background, for their own safety. “I was fleeing home since I learned that my mother wants me dead...” His voice was smaller than he had expected but he couldn’t have mustered any more strength to say out loud the thing that some part of him still didn’t want to believe, if not for the decorated dagger that Ivan had carried on him…

Gilbert missed the horrified faces staring at him, as he himself bit his lip and looked down at his lap where his palms felt clammy. “That’s awful!” called Katya out loud, her sister still staring with unbelieving eyes. The young man couldn’t do anything more than nod silently. It _was_ awful, how his mother had discarded him and he didn’t even know _why_. 

“What do you plan to do now?” asked the younger sister quietly. The prince fidgeted, swallowing. “I don’t know,” he answered truthfully, voice small and insecure. “If you want,” the older sister talked again, placing her gentle hand on the man’s hunched shoulder, “you can stay here as long as you have decided on that.” “Thank you,” muttered Gilbert quietly but sincerely, not believing how kind these people really were.

As the young man was obviously exhausted, the sister’s ushered him to rest on a comfortable bed and gave him more blankets. “It’s like back home,” Gilbert thought with a sad smile, when he was little and cute and everyone around him felt the need to pamper him. And it was gonna be his new home for awhile thanks to the sisters’ generosity. If there was any way Gilbert could help the women in return he would do that. With this resolute thought the prince fell into a deep slumber.

* * *

It was already evening when Gilbert woke up again, feeling physically better but not mentally. His thoughts wandered back to his mother and he couldn’t help the need to cry. The movement under the blankets didn’t go unnoticed by the sisters, one standing again in front of the stove, the other… sitting behind the earlier table and playing with the knife Ivan had given the prince. Probably so that the noble man could protect himself if need be.

“Where did you get this?” came an abrupt question from the sitting woman and Gilbert almost forgot the tears that just a second ago had threatened to seek freedom. Stunned at the unexpected inquiry he answered “The man who helped me escape gave it to me.” “Then it really must have been Ivan!” turned Katya towards her sister in astonishment. 

Gilbert’s eyes grew wide. “You know Ivan?” he called, incredulous. “Yes. He’s our brother,” stated Natalya frankly. That was… The prince didn’t have words for that. A small world? “Ivan told me about you yesterday. That you live here as hunters while he pursued to be someone who doesn’t have to engage in that much violence so often. He also told me about your parents but I don’t see anyone else other than you here...”

“That’s, yes, really his reasoning. Regarding our parents, our mother died while due to poor health. Father was so heartbroken that when he got sick during winter he didn’t have the willpower to keep going and we lost him as well. That was years ago and was probably the main reason Ivan decided to find a well-paid job, to help us live through the winter. However, when we were managing fairly well on our own again, Ivan continued to work in the castle… That’s when he started emphasizing on the violence part of hunting and made it the reason why he wanted to stay in the castle. That is all correct with him disliking violence and all but that reasoning was emphasized maybe much too suddenly to be considered his main reason for keeping his new job... ,” explained Katya with meaningfully raised brows. “Anyways,” stressed Natalya behind the table, having stopped playing with the knife for now, “we have a feeling that we’ve heard about you as well, Gilbert. Or should I say “Your Highness”?”

Gilbert’s mouth fell open and he spluttered before forming real words again. “How do you know who I am?” Natalya answered, looking rather annoyed. “Because of your 18th birthday the only chatter audible in the nearby village revolves around you these past months. You have to be deaf to not have heard about the “our prince will reach adulthood!” by now. Though we didn’t know how the prince really looked like.”

“And you carry Ivan’s knife,” intervened the taller woman with a more humble smile. “Excuse my words, Your Highness, but it is highly improbable that you would have enquired it in any other way than Ivan giving it to you willingly. It belonged to our grandfather so it’s kind of a memento he’s not keen on losing.” Then after a short pause she added “We know about you through Ivan’s letters to us. We just didn’t put these things together right away… The knife was the missing part to make the connection.”

Gilbert stared at the two women who had cracked his secret while he had been sleeping. So much about keeping them safe! Maybe he should have assumed that there were few in his kingdom who didn’t know about him. Obviously there could be pictures of him hung up to respectable guild’s wall or even in a more fancier taverns. However, since the sisters claimed that they didn’t know how the prince looked like beforehand, those letters from Ivan must have been… informative. Gilbert would have loved to know how he was described through someone’s eyes, but he couldn’t ask for Ivan’s permission right now so he settled on another issue that intrigued him. 

“Please. There’s no reason to address me like that. Just call me Gilbert.” “Very well, “Your Highness”” came the reply and the prince was ready to groan until he saw the toothy grin he was offered from behind the table so he answered with one as well. This was the unrestrained way he wanted people to talk to him outside of official negotiations or events. He was happy that the sisters seemed to wish for such kind of communication as well, regardless of his status.

* * *

The guard was walking down the long candlelit corridor, his footsteps echoing around him. In his hand he held a stained bag, small in size but every taken step felt heavy still. Stopping behind an enormous two-winged door, the man breathed in and out a few times before gathering himself and knocking. The doors were drawn open for him and with a solemns face the guard entered into the dining room.

The queen and Ivan were left alone with a wave of the royal woman’s hand adorned with golden diamond rings. “Your Majesty,” said the guard with a tight voice and walked boldly up to the queen, placing the bag on the table between them. With an inspecting look the woman held her eyes on the figure standing before her as she opened the bundle and then lowered her gaze in front of her. 

Slowly but determinedly the pale slender hand reached into the opening and pulled out a bloody heart. A red streak flowed down the arm but it was left unnoticed in favour of the smoothness of the chunk of meat that would never beat again. The pretty lines on the queen’s face distorted as a pleased grin appeared and called for a maid who then was instructed to bring the heart to the cook so that it could be cooked and brought back to the royal woman as soon as possible. 

By lowering the detailed dagger on the table as well, Ivan caught the woman’s attention again. “You did well,” praised the queen with a purr. “Such a dutiful young man you are. Family bonds sure are helpful.” Ivan bit the inside of his cheek. “Your Majesty.” “Yes, Ivan?” smiled the queen sweetily. “May I ask the permission to be relieved of my duties during the coming week to visit my family?” The queen raised a brow and the guard elaborated “To check on their well-being, as family bonds are important to me as well.”

The royal woman looked at Ivan and almost rolled her eyes. “Sure,” she stretched out and gave a half smile. “Anything for your precious family.” Ivan held his face passive as he bowed and with a restrained pace left the room to let the queen enjoy the boar’s heart on her own.

* * *

Already on the second day of living with the sisters, Gilbert was helping out in any way he could. In the beginning, the women had protested that he had already such an emotionally devastating burden on his shoulders and that he should rest and recover instead. However, the prince insisted, telling that he couldn’t rest peacefully unless he could help out somehow.

That’s why he was dusting around the house days after his arrival when he heard a happy cry outside that must have belonged to Natalya. “Ivan! You came to visit!” The older sister reading a book next to the window seemed to be startled as well, as she raised her head to look outside and upon seeing the happening outside, lifted herself up to go greet her brother as well. 

Gilbert wanted to follow but Katya put a finger on her mouth and shook her head. With a clever expression on her face that Gilbert would never have expected to see on Katya, the woman winked at the prince before opening the front door and stepping outside.

The prince stayed where he was, partly because of Katya’s signal to stay put and quiet and partly because of her unexpected behaviour. However, he could still hear how the older woman called out Ivan as well and after a pause, that could as well be explained by a vigorous hug, added “There’s someone waiting for you inside who you would _very_ much like to see.”

This time Gilbert didn’t see the wink that followed but he was confused nonetheless, not by the notion that he was indeed waiting to meet Ivan again but by the tone of voice which carried the semblance of suggestive undertones. Ivan seemed to be lost as well, an “Eh?” reaching the prince’s ears but it was soon followed by stumbled steps nearing the house which must have been Natalya’s doing.

Gilbert could see a tall figure entering the room, the head still looking back outside with hesitation but when it was turned searchingly towards the prince, the figure froze, big eyes staring at what he saw. The younger man looked at him as well, taking off the shawl that he had wrapped around his head during cleaning.

Out of character for them both, Ivan was the first to open his mouth, incredulity obvious in his stance and voice. “Your Highness?” The small words were enough to crack a smile on the prince’s marmor face. “Yes, Ivan, it’s me. And didn’t I tell you already to call me Gilbert when it’s just the two of us?”

The whole time, Ivan had thought about the people who were in danger because of him and he had been so happy to find both of his sisters as lively as usual. But finding the prince well and healthy as well? The older man breathed out, relieved, and coming out of his frozen state, stepped closer to the other man in the room. “My apologies. It’s something to get used to.”

Gilbert’s smile became more mild as he looked at Ivan with earnest eyes. “It’s alright if you are at least trying.” Then, with a sheepish look he added “You know, it’s a _total_ coincidence that I’m here right now. Not because I used the information about your family for that! It was Natalya who found and saved me from a wild boar on rampage and brought me here. Katya told me I could stay if I wanted and… well… I wanted that. ...As I have nowhere to go right now...” 

The shock of hearing about the prince having been attacked by a wild animal was overpowered by the sad look on the younger man’s face and Ivan put his hands slowly but surely around Gilbert to comfort him, though cautiously, ready to pull back if the prince indicated in any way that he didn’t want to be touched. To Ivan’s delight, the embrace was accepted and Gilbert hugged him back.

They stayed like that for a while, the sisters having suddenly decided to stay outside for some reason that should have alerted the prince in some way, but at the moment he didn’t care, enjoying the closeness of the man with who he could feel safe again. Not that he didn’t find Natalya’s heroic or Katya’s motherly caring qualities comforting but he had seen Ivan in the castle many times, witnessed him hone his skills on the training grounds, staying dutifully next to the doors during important negotiations and of course, Ivan had decided to let him live, putting himself in danger with that.

Gilbert hold onto his guard, or former guard now, to verify the realness of the man’s safety and let go reluctantly when Ivan removed his hands at last. Desperate to escape the horrible situation that had taken place a few days ago but still returned to the younger man’s head every time and then, Gilbert ushered Ivan to sit next to him on the bed so the older man could tell him more about his family, about this house and about himself. At one point the sister’s came back inside, throwing expectant looks at the two men and then joined the talk, livening up the evening that had arrived. 

Laughing again at how easily the sister’s had discovered the prince’s identity, Gilbert was reminded of the letters where Ivan had told the women about him, so he asked Ivan directly what he had written there. The taller man’s face gained colour and the sister’s chuckled, the prince left again in a confused state. Was there an inside joke he didn’t get?

Seeing the troubled look on the pale face, Katya smiled to him and hit her brother gently with her elbow. “Oh, he talks about you all the time. Makes one think why he _really_ holds on to that job if he wanted to escape violence in any form so badly.” Ivan whimpered but Natalya continued the musing. “Sometimes it is almost annoying how he manages to fill papers upon papers with the lyric descriptions of the prince’s schedule for the day, or the clothing he’s wearing or the way the royal white hair flies in the wind, with no end in sight.”

“Enough...” pleaded Ivan desperately, hiding his face behind his hands. “It’s nothing indecent, I swear!” Katya chuckled but didn’t press any further, deciding to make herself useful in the kitchen. However, not before ruffling his brother’s hair and stating sincerely ”Good to have you back home.” Natalya followed her after making a suggestive face towards Gilbert.

Ivan groaned. Why did his sisters feel the need to embarrass him like that, in front of the handsome man he had a crush on nonetheless? “Ivan,” caught the prince the older man’s attention, who reluctantly lowered the hands from his face, revealing cautiously blinking eyes. “I know you said you find me beautiful but... do you _like_ me?” The older man saw from the corner of his eye how two ears in the kitchen turned simultaneously so that they could gather Ivan’s answer as best as they could.

The embarrassment was threatening to boil over the edge, Ivan’s thoughts nothing but a hot steam floating in his head. Without warning he grabbed Gilbert’s hand and pulled the prince after him outside where there was calming fresh air and no eager pairs of eyes watching over him. Ivan came to a halt some distance away from the house and just breathed. It had all happened too quickly and he had to gather himself again. He knew his sister’s were trying to help him as he himself would probably never actually dared to express his feelings to the prince, the latter being just too gorgeous and smart and good for him. But since everything was out now, he could as well go all the way.

Letting out one last deep breath, Ivan turned to face Gilbert and tried to keep the eye contact. “Gilbert.” Only now the older man noticed that he was still holding the prince’s hand but since the latter didn’t seem to mind that, he indulged in the opportunity. “Since the day I got this job, as a guard, I’ve always looked at you. In the beginning it was just part of my duty, to keep everyone within the castle safe, but over time the careful attention turned into affection.” Ivan made a little pause before continuing emotionally “Gilbert, you have the brightest smile in the whole kingdom, I swear! Just one look at it and I could already consider the day a successful one. Your happiness is contagious! I admire how much you care to make people around you feel pure joy, be it by a silly harmless prank or you just asking people how they are doing, regardless of their status or background. I admire you, Gilbert, but most importantly: I’ve fallen in love with this beautiful kind-hearted young man who lights up my days with that brilliant smile.”

Gilbert, who had remained rather collected beforehand, was now blushing furiously, his eyes having escaped Ivan’s long ago and now darting around at their feet. When the silence drew out longer than both of them felt comfortable with, Ivan spoke again. “Gilbert?” The latter fidgeted, troubled by the loss of words, but with the evening air gently easing the burning sensation on his face, the prince finally looked up again, shyness accompanied by sincerity. 

“I’m afraid my feelings aren’t as... _intense_ as yours.” Ivan’s head fell slowly downwards, reluctant acceptance written all over his face. “But,” continued the prince and Ivan peeked at the other with waiting eyes, “I wouldn’t mind getting to know you better as it seems I’m at a disadvantage here in that matter.” The older male felt his cheeks heat up again but managed a coy smile. “I’m glad to hear that. I would love to offer you the chance to do just that.”

When the men felt the nearing night get to them with it’s cold breath, they went back inside, noticing the sister’s leaving their positions behind the window, having obviously peeked at them. However, there were no comments once they were back in the house and the men felt grateful for that. It was hard enough to grasp the reality of the escalated chit-chat that had ended with a confession and a promising interest in the other. None of the men were ready to reveal or discuss the undergone development, though going by the seemingly knowing faces of the sisters, they had a good guess.

The promised week to spend time with his family passed much too quickly. Ivan felt reluctant to leave his old home, more so than ever before. Obviously he didn’t trust the queen any more to know for sure that his sisters would be safe, not to speak of the prince. However, he had to go, even when there was no reason for him to keep his job as a guard in the castle anymore, with Gilbert living with his sisters for the time being. Ivan had to spend some more time in the castle, or the queen might find his rushed resignation suspicious, maybe sending people to investigate his actual reasons and discovering his son still alive… 

Ivan couldn’t have that, so he said his goodbyes to his sisters and Gilbert, who had really used the chance given to him and become much more familiar with the older man over the week. Ivan had told the prince to not go lurking around on his own to make sure that there was no one to know about his location. Strolling through the woods again, Ivan could still feel the ghost of a shy kiss on his cheek that he touched every now and then.

* * *

Pleased by the knowledge that she was still considered the most beautiful being in this world, with no threat to her title in sight, the queen hold her head high. There had been questions, of course, about the prince’s whereabouts and the queen had assured that his son had decided to take a vacation after such tiresome celebration. If the time came when the questions would arise again with real concern this time, she could send a searching party to scan the forest to “look” for the prince. In the end Gilbert could be titled as dead or a runaway. Whichever one wanted to believe.

However, the queen’s good mood was interrupted by two maids chatting away in the entrance to the servants' quarters that the royal woman happened to pass by on her leisurely walk along the castle’s well lit corridor where the paintings of her ancestors were hanging. What caught her attention was something that one of the girls said. “...and then at the market an old lady selling straw baskets said the _same thing_! That she had heard that in the nearby forest there had been sighted a woman whose beauty was just out of this world! Though the one who saw this woman wasn’t sure if she was a human at all! The moment she was seen she disappeared again, running through the woods! The lady at the market suspected that it was a spirit...” Beauty out of this world? Even if it turned out to be a spirit the queen couldn’t take such knowledge lightly. 

With a friendly smile, the royal woman halted and turned towards the girls who in return straightened their backs and then bowed their heads, hands held on their aprons. “Your Majesty,” came the greeting in sync. “Hello,” answered the queen mildly, “I just so happened to hear you talk about a spirit? How curious! And where in my kingdom could such a lovely creature be seen?” The maids were obviously smitten by the queens friendly demeanour towards ordinary servants so the one who had been talking beforehand answered eagerly. 

“Oh, Ma’am, I heard it in the nearby village! Just some kilometers down the eastern road! A villager had seen the spirit in the forest next to it.” “Oh really? How fascinating!” Then the queen nodded to the girls and told them they could carry on with their duties at which the maids enthusiastically replied “Yes, Your Highness!” and hurried to do just that. Subsequently, the queen’s face darkened and she hurried as well, heels clicking ominously on the hard floor.

* * *

An old hunched grandma was leaning on her cane as she looked ahead of herself. Over the rustling wheat field one could see houses standing closely next to each other, the glistening church tower reaching for the clouds. The woman began to move again, the cane a supportive companion on her way. 

The village was buzzing with life. Children playing on the streets, workers concentrating on their orders or running about, some older people sitting on a bench and chatting away, their age no match to their lively spirits. The grandma walked along the busy street as her steps were directed to where some tables filled with goods were proudly standing next to each other.

She stopped by the pile of apples, the seller’s head barely reaching over the stuffed bags. “Would you want some?” asked the lady sitting behind the fruit, eyes turned to the grandma inspecting the size of the bags. “Yes, please. I’d take this red one over here.” The local handed out the lone apple that had been pointed out and received money in return. The grandma turned the apple in her hand before stuffing it into her own bag and raised her head to meet the lady’s eyes again. 

“There’s actually something I would like to ask,” stated the grandma with a polite tone to which the woman behind the table exclaimed happily “Ask away!” “Well,” began the older woman, “I heard a rumor that near here in the forest there was spotted a _spirit_! Is that true?” The older woman’s bewildered face was a nice contrast to the exasperated look that the seller now sported.

“Again with this “mysterious beauty running around in the woods”... If you ask me then it must have been just an ordinary human out there as there is no way that a _real_ spirit would live so close to such a lively village. These creatures need peace and quiet! But that guy crafting wooden spoons over there _insists_ , and loudly at that, that he saw such an unusual guest in _our_ forest...” The lady shook her head and sighed. Grandma smiled with understanding eyes and upon thanking the woman, set her course toward the crafting young man.

The old lady greeted the working man and inquired right away “I heard that you supposedly saw a spirit around here in the woods, though not everyone is so ready to believe that. Tell me, did you really saw such a beautiful creature out there.” “Of course I did!” exclaimed the man, cutting his next piece of wood with a lot more force. “Those people don’t want to believe me because they are jealous… I know that!”

The old lady made an “oh” and the man continued. “And it wasn’t a spirit or ghost like some are saying.” “What then?” asked grandma with wide eyes. “It had a pale face as a ghost yes but she was so alluring it must have been a fairy! I think it was a female. Males could be pretty also but I wouldn’t know that, right? As it was my first time seeing a fairy.” 

The old lady clapped her hands together “Unbelievable how lucky you are!” “Well, yeah,” pursed the man his lips, feeling pleased now that someone finally acknowledged his discovery with the passion it required. “She was running through the forest some distance away from me so I only got a glimpse of that fair face but what I managed to see was breathtaking! I’ve never seen such beauty in my life before and probably never will again...” 

The grandma furrowed her brows but the young man didn’t notice that as he was looking up at the sky, lost in his precious memory of the fairy. He was brought out of his dreams again when the old lady addressed him “And where exactly did you see this fairy?” The young man busied himself with crafting again while giving the answer “I was further east from here where the trees are starting to grow higher. I took the road at first and coming up to the bridge turned right to walk along the river. I was looking for some good wood for crafting when I spotted her.”

When the old woman thanked the man for this information the latter asked if the woman wanted to go look for the mystical creature. “I might as well,” chuckled grandma and leaning on her cane, began her journey towards the bridge. 

Later, turning to follow the river’s stream, the grandma spotted a cottage nearby in the woods. She would have continued on her way if not for the pale face that walked out of the door with a basketful of wet clothes that were then set hanging on a string for the wind to do its job. The old lady looked at the paleness, the beauty and concluded this to be the supposed spirit/ghost/fairy/whatever. The old lady adjusted the warm shawl on her shoulders and made her way back towards the castle. It seemed the queen had been deceived.

* * *

Strong hands held onto Ivan as he was hauled and thrown into the prison cell with a loud thump. The landing made the guard wince from pain but when he stood up again he didn’t let any of that be shown on his face, just to spite the queen on the other side of the iron bars. The men who had dragged him there locked the cell door and then left, leaving the queen and Ivan alone again. 

“I’m truly disappointed in you, Ivan...” shook the queen her head and made a sad, disturbingly innocent face. Ivan glowered at her. “And you’re not sane! What kind of a mother would want to kill their own child?!” The woman clicked her tongue. “Watch your language, _boy_ . Why do you think you ended up here only _now_.” The man stared in realisation as the horror took over him “Gilbert!” “Yes,” agreed the queen, raising an unimpressed brow. “As disappointing as it is, my son seems to be still alive… But not for long.” 

With that the royal woman turned on her heels and started walking away from the prisoner. On the stairs that lead out of the underground, she stopped again and with a happy chirp called out “I’m so happy to meet your family at last, Ivan!” after which she proceeded on her way. As the guard sank to the floor again in agony, tears filling his vision, the queen headed to her room to prepare a lovely gift for the supposedly new member of Ivan’s family.

* * *

The instructions that Gilbert had received before Natalya had headed into the woods for some hunting and Katya into the village to buy Gilbert some new clothes, were to stay inside the house and to not let anyone in. The prince appreciated the caution as he himself didn’t feel safe being left alone, so staying inside and keeping an eye on the house as long as the sisters returned was a welcomed pastime.

He was sitting next to the window where the sunlight fell on the pages of the book Gilbert had found on one of the shelves he had dusted, when he noticed some movement outside. Along the river’s shore there was an old woman walking with apparent difficulty, leaning heavily on a cane with one hand as the other hold a basket covered with a cloth. The woman looked utterly tired, legs almost dragged behind her. 

Gilbert was so immersed in the poor woman’s treading that he jerked when the woman raised her head to look at the old cabin. The prince disappeared from the window as the grandma started to make her way towards the house. Gilbert twitched again when there was a loud knocking on the wooden door and a hoarse voice called out “Please! Is there someone to give this old grandma some chance to rest?” Another knock and a pitiful plea “I’ve come a long way and my legs are hurting so much!”

Peeking at the old woman from the window, the young man saw a poor hunched figure dressed in worn clothes and couldn’t help put open the window and address the woman. “Hello, grandma. I’m sorry but I’m not allowed to let anyone in. However, you can rest on the bench right here,” the prince pointed below the window. “Thank you, young boy!” smiled the woman a tired smile and made her way to the offered seat. 

“I’ll get you some water,” promised Gilbert and disappeared into the kitchen only to appear again with a glass that he handed to the old woman sitting now under the window. The latter thanked again and gulped down the refreshing cold water. “You are such a kind lad,” marveled grandma as she put down the empty glass. The woman never made eye contact with Gilbert but he assumed she was just too tired to move anymore.

Subsequently, the grandma bent the back to reach for her basket and drew it next to her legs. Gilbert inspected closely as the cloth was removed and a pile of apples were revealed. The woman took one to herself, then reached for another one and raised it to Gilbert. “It is for you, sweet boy, as you have been so kind to me.” Gilbert flailed a bit “I really haven’t done that much and I’m not sure if I’m allowed to take presents from strangers...”

The old woman called out encouragingly “Come on! Not everyone would have offered such an old woman the chance to rest and poured her a glass of water. I’m truly grateful and I want to thank you the only way I can.” Gilbert looked hesitant still, so the old woman took a bite from her own apple and indicated to it “Look! It’s just a nice tasty apple!”

After another thoughtful moment, the prince took the apple after all and smiled at the old woman. “Thank you,” said the young man and took a bite. “You’re welcome,” answered the grandma and looked on as after a moment the poison set in and the pale body fell unconsciously to the floor. “Sweet dreams, Gilbert,” wished the queen and left. Later, the sisters found the young man dead in the cabin and cried as they held the slender body in their embrace.

* * *

“The prince is dead!” announced the queen to the prisoner sitting in the cell, back against the wall and empty eyes staring somewhere near his shoes. Ivan didn’t raise his eyes but a weak voice managed to escape from him “...you witch...” The queen threw her head back and laughed. “I just merely have the knowledge to create potions strong enough to finish the job you couldn’t.”

With drawn out slow steps, the royal woman neared the bars and stopped right before them, disappointment once again dripping from her voice as she spoke again. “Why must it always be like that? If you want something to be done right you must do it yourself!” Ivan remained silent and the queen pouted. “You’re no fun when you’re not desperately trying to save those important to you. Guess I won’t get that kind of a reaction out of you anymore...” When Ivan still didn’t say a word the queen humphed and declared “Fine! You’re free to go! I’ve got no use for a guard who won’t do his job properly and isn’t even fun to begin with.” With that the keys were turned with a loud click and the cell’s door opened.

By a miracle, Ivan found the motivation to get up and move out of the cell. In his troubled state of mind the thought of killing the queen right there and then with his own hands occurred to him but he kept walking instead, not even glancing towards the royal woman. He wanted to go home to join his sisters, whose well-being the queen hadn’t even bothered to mention, and grieve for Gilbert.

* * *

Gilbert was laid down on the bed, Katya and Natalya kneeling before it and crying. Ivan looked at the sight that he was sure had come to this only thanks to his stupid decision to confront the prince directly during an official celebration and joined his sisters on the ground. He kneeled right before the prince’s face so he could adore the pale and already somewhat bluish face one last time before parting from it forever.

With a quivering hand, Ivan pushed away some strands of hair from Gilbert’s face and caressed the cheek with his curled fingers. When his hand reached the neck however, right under the pale ear, his movement stopped and froze momentarily. A pulse. It was very faint but he could feel the little movement under his fingers. Ivan raised to hover his ear over Gilbert’s nose and he could feel the smallest movement of air, however disturbed by something.

“How did you find him?” asked Ivan abruptly from his sisters who had confusedly observed their brother’s behaviour. “He was laying on the kitchen floor with a bitten apple next to his legs and I think it must have been poisoned. I have no idea where-” “An apple!” declared Ivan, interrupting his older sisters tearfilled voice and grabbed a hold of Gilbert. He held the prince’s upper side over the edge of the bed and hit on the slender man’s back a few times.

The sisters’ panicked questions vanished instantly when something fell out of Gilbert’s mouth and the man began to cough weakly. Ivan held him firmly and when the coughing stopped rested the prince to the bed again. Gilbert’s face that had been blue from the choking, broke into a sweat and his breathing was shallow. “The poison must still be in his system!” called Katya out and rushed to get some water for Gilbert. However, it seemed that the poison had only been effective as long as the piece of apple had been in contact with Gilbert’s insides. Why else Gilbert was too weak to cough out the piece before. Katya returned with the water and made Gilbert consume it with little gulps. A wet cloth was placed on the prince’s head and everyone could only wait and hope that the poison wasn’t that strong and hadn’t affected Gilbert to a life threatening degree. The siblings readied a bucket next to the bed and hoped the poison would find a way outside of the young man’s system.

* * *

The news about prince Gilbert’s disappearance had reached the neighbouring kingdoms by now, including one in which Gilbert’s great-aunt's son was on the throne. The king had been heartbroken when the messenger had rushed in to deliver the crushing news and being not ready to accept his precious cousin’s death as the boy’s mother had suspected, he sent out his own searching party, in hopes of finding Gilbert alive, lost in the woods or in a worse scenario, kidnapped - however alive! Gilbert had meant a lot to him: having no children himself yet, the king had thought about the prince as his own in some way, cherishing every visit he got from the boy and his mother. These hopes were mercilessly crushed as the searching party kept returning without even a hint where the boy could have disappeared. Subsequently, the king grew silent and mournful, the warm sun doing nothing to light up the man’s face. 

However, just after a month after the grave news had been delivered, the king looked… confident and… goal-oriented. Noone knew what he was thinking and when someone asked, the only answer was clever eyes and a knowing look. Noone knew about the secret audience that had occurred a few days ago as two travellers requested to see the king as they claimed to have some information about the prince’s whereabouts. Hearing that, the king wanted to see those people immediately. He even agreed when the travellers asked for anyone else in the room to leave as this information was confidential, much to the king’s advisor’s and guards’ disapproval.

“Please!” had the royal man exclaimed. “Do tell me all you know about prince Gilbert! I’d already lost all hope of ever knowing what happened to him until you two appeared before me...” The kings pleading eyes had inspected the strongly-built male and his companion in a woolen dress whose eyes stayed hidden under the hood from the king’s elevated position. The latter traveller had stepped forward and while tearing down the hood, had looked up at the throne, saying “My king, I guess you could ask that from himself”. The king had gasped and ran to the familiar pale figure, holding him in a crushing hug and whispered “Gilbert!”. The prince hadn’t held his tears back and told his cousin everything that had happened. If Gilbert had used more dramatics, tears and innocent child-eyes than he would have felt necessary, he didn’t feel sorry at all because in the end his cousin had believed him and had been ready to help him. 

Now, a few days later, the king was marching down a corridor and upon reaching a room at the end of it, was aided into his royal attire before he stepped outside onto the balcony to officially open the abruptly announced celebration. “Today we’ll choose the one to be considered the fairest of them all and grace them with this silver crown to acknowledge their title in front of everyone!” sounded the last sentence aimed for the public down on the streets and a roar of applause and exulting followed as the mentioned headdress was raised in a show by the king himself. With that the royal man disappeared from the commoners sight as he had preparations to make.

Though the opening speech was directed at the king’s own people, they weren’t the only ones to attend this new kind of a festival. High-status people from neighbouring countries were invited as well to enjoy the city adorned in flowers and full of people in their traditional clothing or some other marvelous attire. People were jubilating and singing, the city drowning in laughter and colours. The king was happy to see his city livening up like that but he had no time to fully enjoy the celebration himself as even though it was welcomed with utmost cheer by the people, the real highlight of the day was only to come.

On the market square in the middle of the city there had been built a big stage where the partitioners of the festival could strive for the title gifted at the evening by the king himself. The more worthy the public found the contestant the bigger was the cheer and applause, although a lot of people were climbing the stage just for fun to sing or dance and it earned a warm reception. However, when a real beauty found their way to the stage, the public hailed and flowers were thrown before the beauty’s feet. To everyone’s surprise the last one to take the stage was the neighbouring kingdom’s queen herself and regardless the big gap between the commoners and a royal woman, the latter managed to charm the public with her mild smile and a wave of the hand and there was no question anymore who would win the title in the evening.

The queen was utterly pleased when she was announced as the audience favorite and called up to the stage again where his cousin was already waiting with the silver crown. The evening had arrived along with the many bonfires lit up on the square to give warmth and illuminate the awarding. However, the moment the headdress was raised above the woman’s head, every fluttering flame vanished, leaving everyone into darkness. Silence ensued, only to be taken over by shocked gasps as a candle lit up in the middle of the sea of people. Slender hands held the lonely light that illuminated a heartbroken face, dark circles under the eyes making the skin look otherworldly pale. “You’re supposed to be dead!” gasped the royal woman with staring eyes. 

The ghostly figure made a step forward and people moved away. The white gown fluttered in the gentle breeze as another step was made in the direction of the stage. People still moved away from the figure’s way, not wanting to anger a ghost. The eyes that raised to meet the queen’s were wide and blood red. Quivering lips parted and a miserable cry sounded over the square “You killed me, mother!” The shock spread out over the square, people asking with hushed tones the ones standing next to them if they had heard correctly. The queen didn’t notice any of it, the slowly nearing ghost of her dead son getting her whole attention. “Why are you not dead?!” shrieked the woman now desperately, emotions freezing her on the spot. “Why did you kill me?” asked the pale young man with a pain filled voice, ignoring the queens question. 

The shock and fear the woman had felt upon seeing his dead son appear before her dissipated and blind rage was what overwhelmed her now. She made a step forward as well, reaching the stage’s edge and screamed hotly to the aching pale boy. “There’s only one person who can be considered the most beautiful and that’s me! How many times do I have to let you be killed until you stop ruining everything I have worked for?!” With that the queen grabbed a hold of a long metal candlestick standing next to her and jumped down from the stage, the candlestick ready to strike the approaching boy.

With a quick sign from the king, guards went after the hysterical queen and disarmed her. The woman screamed and trashed in the men’s hold but couldn’t free herself. With another sign from the king, bonfires were lit up again, giving a realistic tone to everything that had been seen and heard.

The king came down the stairs to stand in front of the struggling queen. “I’m deeply saddened by your actions and I only wish for you to understand the errors of your ways.” With a sad look in his eyes he tried to convey his earnesty by putting a hesitant hand on the woman’s shoulder only to retrieve it when the queen snarled at it. “It was _you_ behind all this!” The king frowned and stepped back to address the woman solemnly and so that everyone would hear. “It’s not my business to mingle in another kingdom’s affairs but do take my cousin inside the castle and prepare her some calming tea. She doesn’t look good.” “I look always good!” came a maddened retort as the queen was forcefully taken away. The cousin left behind raised both of his brows meaningfully to the queen’s servants still there and nodded with the head in the general direction the screaming woman had been taken. The servants complied and ran after their mistress.

The king sighed and then caught Gilbert standing with slumped shoulders and watching after his mother with sorrow clear on his face. The older man approached his cousin with careful but certain steps and the latter turned to look up at him. “I can’t believe your mother would actually do something like that. And yet she admitted it herself and not with a drop of regret in her voice. I’m so sorry, Gilbert...” The king bent down a little und hugged his precious boy, feeling a tinge of pain when slender arms held him desperately in return. The prince let out a tiny sob and let the familiar embrace comfort him. The excessive sadness might have been part of the play but his mother’s words had hurt him nonetheless.

The older man let go of his cousin only when he felt the others hands loosen a bit and straightened himself, pulling away some of the dark paint under the prince’s eyes with his thumb. “All right. I have to soothe the commotion now. Would you like to stand by my side as I do so? Everyone was quite shocked by your performance so it would do good if you prove yourself to be very much alive.” Gilbert chuckled at that lightly as did his cousin and they went to the elevated stage to clear everything up.

* * *

When Gilbert’s mother had returned to her kingdom, speaking to noone on her way to the cart, the king allowed his cousin and his friend to stay with him. Hearing about Ivan’s sisters’ unsafe situation, their whereabouts being known to the queen, they were invited to the neighboring kingdom as well. This decision was one the king held utmost gratitude for, as the older sister proved to be the kindest and most caring person he had ever met. The king tried to argue that Katya was now his guest along her brother and sister but the woman insisted on helping the maids out by cleaning out the tables after dinner or peeking into the kitchen to be of any aid there. In the end the king just sighed and allowed to woman do as she pleased.

In addition, he didn’t have the heart to deny this gentle woman as he seemed to really like her. Which was unexpected. Never in his life had the king left anything other than platonic love for a woman so he had started to question if he even was capable to marry one out of love. But now, out of the blue, there was a woman in his house who smiled the sweetest smile and he felt his usually confident posture crumble the moment his eyes witnessed this beamng happiness. He was ruined. Mentally and possibly physically as well, as Katya’s siblings were like hawks the moment he was in the same room as their sister. After Gilbert had reasoned with the two that his cousin isn’t a bad person and would never hurt their sister, the stares had lessened but not disappeared entirely. But that was something the king could manage with as now he could at least develop real conversations with Katya that to his luck were welcome on the woman’s part.

After a month, however, there was a new development. People from Gilbert’s kingdom had come to see the prince whose sad story had reached his people back at home. At first these were just audiences to confirm of the royal man’s story and well-being. After some time, the visits had gained more purpose to them, people hinting that they weren’t satisfied by being ruled by a murderer of one's child. Gilbert had been pleaded more than once to return to his kingdom and every time the prince had to give a negative answer, or else he would risk his own life.

However, when the regular visitors began to explain that the people back at home were planning an uprising to achieve the abdication of the queen and put prince Gilbert to her position instead, the plea gained a new meaning. The only thing the people needed now was to see their future ruler with their own eyes and confirm that he is really worth the struggle against the queen. In the end the prince agreed to come along and secretly visit the people waiting for him. His cousin wasn’t so sure about this decision, reasoning that he would have nothing against it if Gilbert would live with him and not put his life in danger like that, but the prince felt it was his duty before his people and with the promise of being careful, he left.

Gilbert brought along Ivan who officially acted as his personal bodyguard but who the prince really considered his best friend by now. The royal man didn’t even need to ask Ivan for the latter to already start packing his things which made Gilbert smile. He was happy that he now had someone to always lean on to and he would offer the same courtesy in return any time. 

They were both surprised by how many people there actually were waiting for them in every village and town they visited. They held their profile low while travelling along the roads but the hoods were lowered when the secret meeting with the soon to be rebellions took place. The people exulted in the honour of the prince and Gilbert had never felt so appreciated in his life before, not even during the most grandiose parties thrown for him when high-status men and women came to pay their respect to the prince. Gilbert was thankful for Ivan to act partly as a mediator between him and the expectant commoner, as there were still things he couldn’t really imagine from a commoner’s perspective or understand thanks to the lower-class slang that he had yet to grasp. In the end however, the people found that they had made the right decision and the uprise could finally start. 

The rebels formed a bigger force than the queen’s army could withhold, not to mention that a lot of the soldiers and guards had family among the people storming the castle. The queen waited for the intruders inside the throne room, the outcome being clear even for her. As people started to fill in the room and demanding the queen to give her power over to her son, she stood up and handed the crown to her waiting son, regarding him for a moment with a look that Gilbert couldn’t interpret, and walked out of the room to face the exile that waited for her.

The successful uprise was celebrated with cheering and spirited pats on each others backs. The news about the queen’s abdication spread quickly and soon happiness could be felt all over the land. During the elevating jubilation in the throne room Gilbert grabbed a hold of Ivan and kissed him passionately, being overtaken by the crinkled eyes and laughing mouths around him. A few people in his proximity cheered them on and Gilbert felt himself blush. However, he looked firmly up at Ivan’s confused but happy face and then stepped up the stairs leading to the throne to address everyone in the room, saying that from today on he’ll be the king of this land and that everyone who aided him today and before that have his deepest gratitude. That he’ll always look out for such courageous people who are ready to fight for what they deem fair and that the doors of the castle will always be open for those in need in return. The hurrah filled the room and Gilbert found himself looking forward for what is to come, with Ivan by his side.


End file.
